Especially when you are talking about the powers of attorney, the advance medical directives and so on….isn’t there a problem that some institutions, while they should follow what they say, might say they are too stale, even if they are only a few years old? Do you find that to be a problem?

Because it is the extreme — in 2010, no tax and in 2011 it goes back to a much harsher estate system, back the way it was in 2001 — is it almost impossible for Congress to leave it as it is before 2010? In other words, don’t they have to change it before 2010?

Jonathan Ackerman, 2002 President of NCPG (now known as Partnership for Philanthropic Planning), represents donors and tax-exempt organizations on a national basis. His advice is often sought by charities in their creation and operation, especially with respect to contributions and other funding opportunities, as well as by families (and their advisors) who desire to integrate philanthropy into their estate plans.